Part of La Comédie Humaine
First published 1997
Balzac approaches marriage as a field of study, proposing that men select wives through scientific method rather than romantic impulse. He examines the economics behind seduction and analyzes power dynamics within relationships. The book covers topics from moral education to strategies for preventing adultery. Balzac argues that marriage policy involves exploiting laws, social customs, force, and cunning to control a wife's ability to communicate with potential lovers. Written between his early pseudonymous novels and his later La Comedie Humaine series, this nonfiction work brought Balzac his first literary fame. Despite appearing to favor male perspectives, the book treats both sexes with equal severity and was reportedly created with help from two women collaborators. Though aimed at male readers, it found its largest audience among women who appreciated its sharp critique of marriage as a social institution.
Genres: essays, philosophy, sociology, non-fiction, criticism, 19th-century
Vibes: analytical, intellectual, provocative, satirical, sharp-witted, thought-provoking
Tropes: critique-of-social-institutions, scientific-analysis-of-human-behavior, social-commentary
Setting: France
Period: 19th century
358 pages · Paperback · The Johns Hopkins University Press
Content warnings: domestic-violence, sexism